American superconductor: Combining development expertise with market savvy

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · American Ceramic Society Bulletin; (United States)

OSTI ID:6769367

In 1986, scientists at IBM's Zurich Research Laboratory made one of the most important discoveries in science: high temperature superconductors (HS). This new class of ceramic conducts electricity with little or no resistance, at temperatures that are maintainable with existing, convenient cooling technologies. Transforming these brittle ceramic HTS material into commercially viable wires and wire products is the mission of American Superconductor Corporation (ASC), founded in 1987 and now the leading US company in the HTS market. ASC is focusing on the development of superconductor wires and wire products for such applications as power transmission cables, electric motors, and magnetic energy storage devices. Recently American superconductor corporation announced the signing of an agreement with Hoechst AG of Germany that will enable further advances in its techniques for manufacturing of superconductor wires. The company has also joined forces with several national laboratories in a Wire Development Group. This group includes representatives from Argonne, Los Alamos, and Oak Ridge National Laboratories, as well as the University of Wisconsin Applied Superconductivity Center. With this type of support, ASC is realizing dramatic progress. In 1992, the company began daily production of 300-foot long wires; by the end of 1993, ASC expects to produce wires ten times that length. With Pirelli, ASC has produced three-foot long prototype multistrand conductors which already transmit up to 500 Amps of current at 77K, a significant fraction of the operating current anticipated for commercial power transmission cables. By the middle of 1994, the company expects to deliver 100-foot long multistrand conductors operating at 77K, and transmitting 1,000 Amps.

• OSTI ID: 6769367
• Journal Information: American Ceramic Society Bulletin; (United States), Journal Name: American Ceramic Society Bulletin; (United States) Vol. 72:4; ISSN 0002-7812; ISSN ACSBA7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290500 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Research
Development
Demonstration
& Commercialization
665412* -- Superconducting Devices-- (1992-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
COMMERCIALIZATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELECTRIC MOTORS
ENERGY STORAGE
ENGINES
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
MAGNETIC ENERGY STORAGE
MANUFACTURING
MARKET
MOTORS
NORTH AMERICA
POWER TRANSMISSION LINES
STORAGE
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETIC ENERGY STORAGE
SUPERCONDUCTING MOTORS
SUPERCONDUCTING WIRES
SUPERCONDUCTORS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
USA
USES
WIRES